Are you damaging your skin when exercising?

Posted on by Candy Langan RN

Anne turned 50 recently and decided it was finally time to get in shape. Membership to the local gym was a delightful gift from her husband Bill. After starting her exercise routine, Anne asked me if working out was causing her adult acne. She wrote, “My goal was to look better not worse! Please help me out.”

Many people notice that exercise perspiration causes not only their face to break out, but their body to show pimples, acne, and bumps as well. Science no longer believes that sweating cleans your pores but that it actually causes your pores to become blocked and grow bacteria. This red inflammation is called a pimple.

Anne can follow a few simple guidelines to resolve this situation before it becomes a major problem. Problems could potentially include permanent acne scaring and an increase in lines and wrinkles, as well as an unsightly complexion.

Here are three tips to use to make sure your workout routine does not damage or ruin your skin.

1. NO MAKEUP AT THE GYM

Unlike, her 20 or 30 year old workout partners, Anne always arrived at the gym well groomed, which meant makeup. The first recommendation is to start your workout with a clean face. That’s easy in the morning but what about the days you go after work? No excuses! You must wash your face thoroughly before beginning your workout. An easy trick is to simply wipe the face down with Academy’s Acne Control-10 if you can’t wash.

2. EXERCISE IN MODERATIONyoga

Everything in moderation! Unless your goal is to train for a triathlon, I like moderate exercise including Pilates and yoga. I’ve always believed excessive jogging and fat burning does created an aging, sickly looking face. Fortunately, for those who have abused their faces with extremes, we can offer solutions such as non-permanent fillers and Academy medical based skin care products.

3. CLEAN YOUR BODY AND CHANGE YOUR CLOTHES IMMEDIATELY

Always take a cool shower, shampoo your hair, and change your clothes as soon as possible after exercising. Remember to rinse the conditioner out of your hair thoroughly before washing your face and body. The residue of the conditioner could be affecting your skin. Use Academy’s Gentle Facial Cleanser to cleanse thoroughly and calm your facial skin. Pat dry and wait one minute before applying Academy Hydrolight Plus 15 to prevent breakouts. In the presence of active breakouts, use Acne Control-10 instead.

Also, if your exercising brings you outdoors you’ll be wearing a hat and sunscreen, both of which may cause you to breakout. Sweating under your hat for long periods of time is a likely culprit of clogged pores. Remove your hat as soon as possible and wipe quickly with Academy’s Acne Control when water is unavailable.

Take less than 10 minutes to practice these easy steps to guarantee your face will look as healthy as your body feels.

Self-Love and Skincare (Ali’s Journey Part 3)

Posted on by Candy Langan RN

Ali finally showed up on April 17th (approximately a month after her second appointment). I was concerned we would never see her again.

Guess what though? She was nicely dressed and was even wearing some light makeup. Ali had been using the Academy Cleanser along with our Derma Buff and it was obvious that the little extra time she was spending on herself was making a difference, not only to her appearance but to her self-esteem.

So we’ve added Academy’s Hydro Light Plus-10 to her skincare regime.

She will cleanse, rinse, exfoliate, and pat dry before applying small amounts of Hydrolight to her entire face and neck.

Watch this video on how to use Hydro Light Plus-10:  Even stronger now Use Hydro Light Plus 15!!

Because Ali is using the Hydro Light Plus-10, the dull, dead skin on her face will shed. Her pores will become much cleaner and appear smaller. Her uneven, very discolored skin tones will become more vibrant and she will begin to look healthier.

What I love most is the smile on her face. She is no longer so distant, but much warmer.

Ali should return in about 3 weeks. Remember, we are not just selling products. Little by little this lady is going to like herself and when she does, she will become strong enough to deal with, as she stated, the “awful” parts of her life.

Catch up on Ali’s journey of self-love and skincare:

Ali’s Journey Part 1

Ali’s Journey Part 2

Are you damaging your skin when exercising?

Posted on by Candy Langan RN

Anne turned 50 recently and decided it was finally time to get in shape. Membership to the local gym was a delightful gift from her husband Bill. After starting her exercise routine, Anne asked me if working out was causing her adult acne. She wrote, “My goal was to look better not worse! Please help me out.”

Many people notice that exercise perspiration causes not only their face to break out, but their body to show pimples, acne, and bumps as well. Science no longer believes that sweating cleans your pores but that it actually causes your pores to become blocked and grow bacteria. This red inflammation is called a pimple.

Anne can follow a few simple guidelines to resolve this situation before it becomes a major problem. Problems could potentially include permanent acne scaring and an increase in lines and wrinkles, as well as an unsightly complexion.

Here are three tips to use to make sure your workout routine does not damage or ruin your skin.

1. NO MAKEUP AT THE GYM

Unlike, her 20 or 30 year old workout partners, Anne always arrived at the gym well groomed, which meant makeup. The first recommendation is to start your workout with a clean face. That’s easy in the morning but what about the days you go after work? No excuses! You must wash your face thoroughly before beginning your workout. An easy trick is to simply wipe the face down with Academy’s Acne Control-10 if you can’t wash.

2. EXERCISE IN MODERATIONyoga

Everything in moderation! Unless your goal is to train for a triathlon, I like moderate exercise including Pilates and yoga. I’ve always believed excessive jogging and fat burning does created an aging, sickly looking face. Fortunately, for those who have abused their faces with extremes, we can offer solutions such as non-permanent fillers and Academy medical based skin care products.

3. CLEAN YOUR BODY AND CHANGE YOUR CLOTHES IMMEDIATELY

Always take a cool shower, shampoo your hair, and change your clothes as soon as possible after exercising. Remember to rinse the conditioner out of your hair thoroughly before washing your face and body. The residue of the conditioner could be affecting your skin. Use Academy’s Gentle Facial Cleanser to cleanse thoroughly and calm your facial skin. Pat dry and wait one minute before applying Academy Glycolic Crème-10 to prevent breakouts. In the presence of active breakouts, use Acne Control-10 instead.

Also, if your exercising brings you outdoors you’ll be wearing a hat and sunscreen, both of which may cause you to breakout. Sweating under your hat for long periods of time is a likely culprit of clogged pores. Remove your hat as soon as possible and wipe quickly with Academy’s Acne Control when water is unavailable.

Take less than 10 minutes to practice these easy steps to guarantee your face will look as healthy as your body feels.

How to Remove and Treat Acne, Plus What You Should Never Do to Get Rid of Pimples

Posted on by Candy Langan RN

We’ve all been there. You wake up in the morning and do a double-take when you look in the mirror.

You see it staring back at you. It takes over your face. It’s swollen, filled with a foreign substance, and hurts.

It’s a pimple. It’s a zit. It’s acne. No matter what you call it, it’s unwelcome.

While many teenagers develop acne, so do adults. It is extremely embarrassing no matter how old you are. It’s embarrassing to have acne on your face when you want to ask the cute girl to the prom. It’s embarrassing to have a pimple show up on your forehead on your wedding day. 

So let’s break down acne together. We’ll discuss what acne is, how you should treat acne, what you should never do to the pimples on your face and body, and what you can do to get rid of a pimple before a big event. Plus, how to prevent acne from showing up at all.

What is acne? 

Acne, a pimple, or a zit is excess oil trapped in your pores. Inside your pores, there are sebaceous glands that produce sebum. When the outer layers of skin shed, the dead skin cells left behind may become glued together by the sebum. This causes blockage in the pore, especially when the skin becomes thicker at puberty. Then the sebaceous glands produce more sebum, which builds up behind the blockage. This sebum harbors various bacteria. The bacteria causes infection and inflammation.

How to Treat Acne

Medications that contain glycolic acid, salicylic acid, benzyl peroxide, and antibacterial agents are best to treat acne. These can be found in over-the-counter products. Using products that contain any of these ingredients helps the skin slough off more easily, which helps remove bacteria faster.

Overall, practice good hygiene, use warm compresses to open pimples up, and for severe cases, you may want to speak to your doctor about taking an antibiotic.

How to Get Rid of Acne Fast (Before Your Special Event or Treat Acne Overnight)

  • Use a warm compress to open up the pimple and reduce swelling
  • Apply salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or benzyl peroxide medication (Academy Acne Control-10 has salicylic acid and glycolic acid) to treat the bacteria
  • Use over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream (1%) to reduce swelling and redness
  • Using ice can also be applied to reduce redness and swelling
  • Avoid sugary foods
  • Drink adequate amounts of water (approximately 8 glasses per day)

What You Should Never Do to Acne

You guessed it–you should never pop a pimple. Why? Popping a pimple causes scarring. Acne scars happen because what is under the skin is bigger than the hole you are trying to squeeze it through. When you squeeze or pop the pimple, you burst through the skin, causing the skin to break in a jagged line. When the skin grows back together, these jagged edges or lines create acne scarring. 

Treat acne scars with glycolic acid or with a skin lightening cream. Using a glycolic acid product (like Academy’s Glycolic Creme-10) removes dead skin, lightening scarring. Using a skin lightening product (like Academy’s Hydro Light Plus-10 with the 4 major skin lightening ingredients that exist today) can help lighten scarring.

How to Prevent Acne

  • Keep your face clean.
  • Use a good cleanser (no soap).
  • Keep your hands off your face. Keep your hair off your face too. (Try to notice when you touch your hair and then touch your face.)
  • Keep your pillowcases clean.
  • Eat a clean diet, avoiding fatty and sugary foods.
  • Stay hydrated.
  • Use the over-the-counter medication, such as Academy Acne Control-10.
  • Keep your face and body exfoliated. Glycolic acid products removs the layer of dead skin, leaving skin smooth and clear. Getting rid of the dead skin gives you a better chance for your pores to stay clear, and not become clogged.

Now that you know how to treat and prevent acne in all situations, pass this along to someone you know who could benefit from it! Everyone deserves clear, smooth, clean, and beautiful skin. We have so much going on in our lives that stressing over acne and pimples is not worth it. I’m here to help.

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